The invention relates to a pneumatic system testing device and, more particularly, to an aircraft pneumatic system test cart.
Conventional passenger aircraft have various pneumatic systems. An aircraft bleed system is an example of one such pneumatic system. The bleed system provides high air pressure during low atmospheric air pressure operating conditions. The high pressure air is used to provide air conditioning and cabin pressurization. Once the aircraft reaches high air pressure operating conditions the bleed system switches over to provide low air pressure. The switching function is carried out by the interaction of numerous air flow and temperature sensors with switching mechanisms.
Such a system must be periodically maintained in order to insure safe and optimum system performance. Typical maintenance involves having the aircraft brought into a hangar and having the sensors and switches replaced. Although replacing system components in such a fashion can maintain optimal system performance, it is cost ineffective. First, keeping the aircraft out of service for a relatively long period of time creates lost revenue. Second, replacing the sensors and switches while they are still operational wastes the effective lifetime of expensive components. Indeed, replacing a component once it reaches the end of its life cycle is less costly and may be done with less frequency than replacing such a component based on a preventative maintenance schedule that is independent of the life cycle of the component. Periodically testing the pneumatic system and the system componentry would solve the problem of wasted component capacity, but such a solution does not fully obviate the problem of having the aircraft out of service and in the repair hangar during such testing.
Conventional pneumatic testing equipment includes a pneumatic test box, a sensor/switch test oven, pressurized nitrogen tanks and various other items such as hoses, flex lines, electrical cords, fittings and seals. Therefore, testing the aircraft while on the tarmac is not feasible, as the necessary testing equipment is cumbersome and not easily transportable.
A portable aircraft pneumatic system test cart includes a cart with a mounting surface, having pneumatic test box and a sensor test oven disposed on the mounting surface.
An advantage of the present invention is that the test cart may be transported to the aircraft for pneumatic testing, thereby minimizing aircraft out-of-service time.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the test cart further includes at least one pressurized nitrogen tank.
These and other advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views.